The Masters Program in Environmental Science was established in 1972. It is an interdisciplinary program with courses in ecology, chemistry, geology, engineering, and systems modeling taught by faculty from a number of departments. It is a 30 credit program, which includes a 3 to 6 credit research thesis. Most courses are given in the evening between 6:55 and 10:00 p.m., one night a week. Most of the students in the program work during the day, and have ranged in age from the mid-twenties to over 60. Some financial assistance is provided through part-time teaching and research positions, assistantships, work study, tuition waivers, etc. (see the Graduate Catalog for details).
The Masters Program is designed to provide broad interdisciplinary training in those areas of the biological, engineering, physical, chemical, and social sciences that are important in solving environmental problems. Graduates are prepared for careers in both governmental agencies and private companies working on such problems as pollution control, environmental impact, and urban planning, and for careers in environmental education. The College has extensive, modern laboratories and computer facilities.
The program is associated with the Center for Environmentaì Science,
which was established at the College in 1987 by the City University. Much
of the thesis related research is carried out under the auspices of the
Center. Currently the Center is carrying out four major studies supported
by outside funding. One is on toxic and carcinogenic organics in ambient
air; the initial phase was carried out in collaboration with the US Environmental
Protection Agency, Region II, Urban Air Toxics Assessment Program, and
the New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health.
The second study is an epidemiological case-control study of the various
environmental risk factors that contribute to the incidence of primary
lung cancer. It is being carried out in collaboration with the New York
City Department of Health, the five Staten Island hospitals, and Staten
Island physicians. The third study is looking at the incidence of cancer
in relation to the Fresh Kills landfill, currently the largest landfill
in New York City and on the Earth. A fourth study is looking at the impacts
of tropospheric ozone and sulfur dioxide on respiratory diseases among
the 62 counties of New York State. Other studies have been done on methane
generation in landfills, solid waste disposal, and on the ecology of fresh
and tidal wetlands. New research will look at various types of pollutants
in air, water, soil, and organisms in our new facilities equipped with
GC/MS and AAS, perchloric acid hood, and clear room. The new wet lab will
be used to process field samples and to do research on surface erosion
and mass wasting. The new campus,occupied in the Fall of 1993, has 204
acres, which includes natural forest, and is adjacent to Willowbrook Park,
Corson Brook Woods and theGreenbelt System of the NYC Parks Department.
A meteorological and air monitoring station will be starting to collect
data in February 1997. The Interstate Sanitation Commission, under Federaì
charter to monitor water bodies shared by the States of New York, New Jersey,
and Connecticut, now has its environmental chemistry and bacteriology laboratories
located in our facility. Students and faculty get involved in local environmentals
problems and give testimony at governmental hearings.
Please consult the Graduate Catalog for further details. If you have questions, please write or call the Director as below.
An acceptable bachelor's degree from an institution whose degree requirements are substantially equivalent to those of The College of Staten Island or other senior units of the City University of New York. Ordinarily, this would be a bachelor's degree in a natural science or in engineering.
An overall average of B minus, or the equivalent, in undergraduate work and an average of B, or the equivalent, in undergraduate science and engineering courses.
The undergraduate credits must include at least one year each of general chemistry and general physics, mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least one semester of ecology. Candidates who are deficient in one or more of these requirements may be accepted on the expectation that they will make up the deficiency without receiving graduate credit for it.
Two letters of recommendation testifying to the applicant's ability to complete successfully the program of graduate study are required. A personal interview may be required.
The applicant is ordinarily required to submit the results of both the General Aptitude Test and the Advanced Test in the undergraduate field of concentration of the Graduate Record Examination. Applicants should apply directly to the Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, to take the tests. Applicants from out side the U.S. must also take the TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGAGE (TOEFL) exam, including the Test of Written English. For this exam, apply to the TOEFL Program Office, P. O. Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 08541-6155. Applicants should take these examinations no later than February for fall admission and July for spring admission.
Contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Alfred M. Levine, at The College
of Staten Island, 6S-310, The City University of New York, 2800 Victory
Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314. Tel. # : 718 982-3920; Fax. # : 718
982-3923; E-mail: levine@postbox.csi.cuny.edu
Thirty credits in approved courses with an average of at least a grade of B. There are four required courses (The Biosphere and Our Species, Community Ecology, Earth Science, Applied Environmental Science). The remaining 12 credits are chosen as electives from the list below. One course may be from an approved list of graduate courses in the social sciences. Electives may be chosen from environmental science and social science courses at the College, or on approval of the director from appropriate courses offered in graduate programs in the City University campuses or the Graduate School . A thesis project for a minimum of three to a maximum of six credits is required.
ESC 601 The Biosphere and our species
3 hours; 3 credits
A required course that covers the structure and function of the biospheric
ecosystem on the planet Earth, and the impacts of our species upon it in
terms of ecology, resource use and exploitation, sociopolitical aspects,
economics, environmental ethics, and related topics. (Also creditable toward
biology requirements.)
ESC 702 Community Ecology
3 hours; 3 credits
Function and integration of natural communities and ecosystems: trophic
structure, energy flow, species diversity and dominance, stability and
resilience, interspecific interactions. Selected topics from the current
literature. (Also creditable toward biology requirements.)
Prerequisite: Ecology
ESC 703 Earth Science
3 hours; 3 credits
Ecological significance of physical geology and geochemistry; tectonics,
pedogenesis, erosion and deposition. The hydrologic cycle; ground-water
geology and pollution. Weather and climate; the general circulation; climatic
geography; dynamics of fronts and traveling weather systems.
Prerequisites: Calculus, Physics
ESC 704 Applied Environmental Science
3 hours; 3 credits
Definition of environmental parameters and quality criteria. Physical
and transport phenomena. Monitoring, detection, and mathematical modeling
of environmental systems. Control policies and implementation schemes.
Present and future techniques of pollution control and abatement.
Prerequisite: Calculus
ESC 710 Instrumentation for Chemical Analysis
6 laboratory hours; 3 credits
Lecture and laboratory work covering theories and applications of modern
approaches to chemical analysis. Equal emphasis will be placed on physical
theory and design and chemical theory and procedure. Topics include opticometric
and electrometric methods, magnetic resonances, radioactivity, and separation
techniques applicable to analysis of environmental pollutants.
ESC 721 Methods in Environmental Analysis
6 laboratory hours; 3 credits
Collection and analysis of water, air, and soil samples in local terrestrial
and aquatic habitats. Various sampling methodologies will be used in the
field to collect data which will be analyzed and tested statistically.
Prerequisites: Ecology, ESC 702 and 732, or permission of the instructor
ESC 724 Computer Simulation of Environmental Systems
3 hours; 3 credits
The development and construction of mathematical models, defining pollution
parameters and quality criteria, analog, digital and hybrid techniques
in environmental systems simulation studies. Case studies for model verification;
control policies based on simulations. (Also creditable toward biology
requirements.)
Prerequisite: A knowledge of digital computer programming.
ESC 725 Energy Sources and the Environment
3 hours; 3 credits
The environmental impact of present and future sources of power. Methods
of power production and distribution; analysis of energy resources; pollution
associated with energy conversion; effect of man-made energy systems on
the energetics of ecological systems.
ESC 726 Transportation Systems
3 hours; 3 credits
Urban travel characteristics and needs determined by origin-destination
surveys, population and economic factors, and land use. Traffic-study techniques
for obtaining data on speeds, travel times, delays, and volumes. Capacity
analysis for freeways, city streets, air corridors, bus lanes, and railroads.
Criteria considered in selection of the "optimum" transportation plan.
Presentation of current advances in the state of the art.
ESC 731 Behavioral Ecology
3 hours; 3 credits
The role of behavior in the dynamics of populations; social behavior,
the reproductive function of pheromones and hormones, mate selection, species
isolating mechanisms, habitat selection, orientation and navigation. Laboratory
and field evidence will be discussed. (Also creditable toward biology requirements.)
Prerequisite: BIO 338 or equivalent
ESC 732 Population Ecology
3 hours; 3 credits
Ecological basis of fitness in natural populations; theory of evolution
in stable and changing environments; genetic aspects of interactions between
species; population dynamics and regulation; life tables. Case histories.
(Also creditable toward biology requirements.)
Prerequisite: Genetics and Ecology
ESC 734 Chemical Ecology
3 hours; 3 credits
The role of secondary metabolites in ecological interactions within
and among species. Allelopathy; defense mechanism; chemical co-evolution
and the organization of natural communities. (Also creditable toward biology
requirements.)
Prerequisites: Any two of the following: Ecology, Behavioral Biology,
Organic Chemistry
ESC 735 Biogeography
3 hours; 3 credits
Distribution of biomes of the world. Impact of geologic and climate
change on the ranges of plants and animals. Experimental biogeography;
models of colonization and insular evolution; effects of man on regional
biota. (Also creditable toward biology requirements.)
Prerequisites: Any two of the following: Ecology, Evolution, historical
geology, or college geography
ESC 736 Systems Ecology
3 hours; 3 credits
Systems approach to energy flow, biogeochemical cycles, and resource
management: systems measurement, description. analysis, and simulation
modeling. Examination of systems studies in current literature. (Also creditable
toward biology requirements.) Prerequisites: Ecology, Calculus, Statistics,
and CSC 270 or equivalent or permission of the instructor
ESC 740 Experimental Design and Analysis
3 hours; 3 credits
Statistical analysis of research and survey data with emphasis on the
design of experiments, regression analysis, and analysis of variance.
Prerequisites: Introductory Statistics, Biometrics, or equivalent
ESC 748 Environmental Chemistry
3 hours; 3 credits
The science of chemical phenomena involving the nature, reactions and
transport of natural and anthropogenic chemicals in the natural environment,
including the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. The interaction
between chemical species, and the effects of the physical environment,
and the role of microorganisms. Specific emphasis on pollutants and hazardous
wastes.
Prerequisite: General Chemistry
ESC 751 Microclimate and Air Pollution
3 hours; 3 credits
Topographic, vegetational, and human impact on local climates. Properties
and biological implications of the active surface. Pollution as part of
a meteorological system; the urban heat island, environmental photochemistry.
(Also creditable toward biology requirements.)
ESC 752 Soils and Geohydrology
3 hours; 3 credits
Origin, evolution, and engineering properties of soils. Biological
properties: nutrient availability, microbiota, yield. Properties of aquifers:
ground- water physics; regional water balance; systems analysis in hydrology.
ESC 799 Thesis Research
hours and credits vary; maximum 6 credits towards degree
This course may be repeated. No student may apply more than a total
of six credits of Thesis Research toward the degree.
ESC 803 Topics in Environmental Science for Teachers
3 hours; 3 credits
A course that covers the structure and function of the biospheric ecosystem
and the basic scientific concepts that underlie this. It will deal with
the impacts of human activities, in terms of ecology, sociopolitical aspects,
economics, environmental ethics, and other topics as they relate to elementary
and secondary school teachers. (Not creditable toward Environmental Science
Masters degree).
ESC 891, 892, 893, 894 (respectively for 1 to 4 credits) Graduate Independent
Study in Environmental Science
James Batteas is a surface analytical chemist, whose research involves the tribology of polymeric thin films in anti-wear and anti-fouling applications [Ph. D., University of California, Berkeley; Chemistry Department].
Alan Benimoff is a geologist, who works on geohydrology of Staten Island, and on the mineralogy and geochemistry of the serpentinite rock which makes up the back-bone of the island. He also works on Earth mantle experimental petrology and igneous rocks of the Newark Basin [Ph. D., Lehigh Unversity; Applied Sciences Department].
Donna Gerstle does research in environmental epidemiology investigating the link between air pollution from industrial complexes and the Freshkills landfill and various cancers, such as lung and breast, in the Staten Island population, and non-malignant respiratory disease [M.S., M. A., College of Staten Island, CUNY; Center for Environmental Science].
Michael Kress does computer modeling and visualization of environmental and physical systems, and is involved with the development of material presentation, such as meteorological data, for distance learning [Ph. D., New York University; Computer Science Department].
Alfred M. Levine is a professional engineer interested in risk analysis, modeling of environmental systems, and statistical analysis of epidemiological data [Ph. D., Princeton University ; Applied Sciences Department].
Elena McCoy is an environmental microbiologist, who works on the toxicity and mutagenicity of chemicals in the air, water and soil, and in the indoor environment [Ph. D., University of Connecticut; Biology Department - Medical Technology].
Anderson Ohan is a geologist who has extensive knowledge of the surface geology and geological history for Staten Island and the surrounding areas of New York and New Jersey [M. S., New York University; Applied Sciences Department].
John R. Oppenheimer works on the ecology of wetlands and of various animal species, and is currently involved in studies of air pollution on Staten Island, and the impacts of air, soil and groundwater pollution on ecosystem and human health [Ph. D., University of Illinois; Biology Department and Director of the Environmental Science Masters Program].
Ercument Ozizmir is a theoretical mathematician, who is working in part on the structural assumptions underlying logistic regression in its application to epidemiologic research data [Ph. D., University of Michigan; Mathematic Department].
Pradyot Patnaik is an environmental chemistist, who is the Director of the Environmental Laboratories of the Interstate Sanitation Commission located on our campus. He supervises our environmental laboratory as well, and works on a variety of environmental contaminant studies [Ph. D., Indian Institute of Technology ; Interstate Sanitation Commision & the Center for Environmental Science].
Joseph Soroka is an analytical chemist with expertise in analytical and field instrumentation, including separations, mass spectrometry, XRF, trace analysis and data validation. He teaches courses in environmental chemistry and air pollution and works as a full-time consultant to the USEPA managing cleanup teams at Superfund toxic sites around the United States [Ph. D., City University of New York; Adjunct in Biology and Chemistry Departments].
Joseph Vagvolgyi works on the evolution of birds and snails, and does field work in New Mexico and on the Galapogos Islands [Ph. D., Harvard University; Biology Department].
Richard Veit studies the ecology and behavior of oceanic birds and the population dynamics of vertebrates. He is interested in applying ecological insight to problems in conservation, and carries out studies off the Pacific coast and in the Antarctic [Ph. D., University of California; Biology Department].
Nan-Loh Yang is an analytical chemist, who as one of his areas is looking at ways to decontaminate dredge spoils removed from shipping channels and other locations so that the sediments can be safely reused, rather than placed in hazardous landfills or dumped at sea [Ph. D., Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn; Chemistry Department].
Seasonality of selected hydrocarbons and the relationship with atmospheric parameters - 1995 -Susmita Biswas
The hydrology of the urbanized Lemon Creek drainage basin - 1995 - Nancy Jane Krause
Risk assessment: Current methology limitations and considerations as
related to an analysis of increased lifetime cancer incidence on Staten
Island due to air toxics in ambient air - 1994 - Joanne DeMizio
Cancer mortality rates on Staten Island, New York, 1980-1990 in relation to the Fresh Kills Landfill - 1993 - Joseph Perz
Bacteriological quality of New York City bathing waters and the estimation of coliform levels through predictive modelling - 1993 - Edward Carubis
Temporal distribution of compounds in chromatographic runs by GC/MS and identification of homologous VOC's in ambient air - 1992 - Hsia Yung Hur
Assessment of avifauna for the natural areas on Staten Island - 1992 - Maryann Nizzico
Resource recovery as a solution te solid waste disposal in New York City 1985 Margaret Smith
Effects of ventilation rates on environmental tobacco smoke 1985 Paul Gargiulo
Critical review of the relationship between environmental factors and respiratory disease, and an analysis of population dynamics, air pollution and cancer mortality in and around Staten Island, New York, 1957 to 1980 1984 Donna Gerstle
Hydrology of the swamp white oak forest in Miller's Field, Staten Island 1983 Robin Fornino
Limnological studies of Goethals Bridge Pond, Goethals Bridge Creek and Old Place Creek on Staten Island - 1983 - Taher Khan
Effects of environmental lead on children's psychoneurological functioning 1982 Kristin Egelhof
Analysis of an herbaceous plant community on a sand filled site - 1982
- Nancy Slowik
Effects of sublethal oil pollution on the feeding behavior of the goldfish 1982 Clarence R. K. Dzubey
Biological effects of microwave radiation - 1980 - Ray Sainthill
Quantitative estimate of methane production in a sanitary landfill - 1979 - Leo Cagliostro and Santo Gargano
Obtaining precise estimates in coliform enumeration 1977 Jay Fleisher
The effects of free-choice between two simultaneously available lighting conditions upon the circadian rhythmicity of wheel running activity of Mus musculus 1977 F. Levy
The niche variation hypothesis: A study with homopteran populations 1977 - Roger J. Styczinski
Modelling of highway traffic via kinetic theory 1975 Michael Kress
A revision of water pollution control criteria and additions to the 1973 list of toxic water pollutants - 1974 - M. E. Cannavo
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Con Edison conversion of Travis power plant from oil to coal - against
SPDES and Wetland permits for FLD Construction Co. (Goethals Bridge Pond)
- against Amendment of Tidal Wetland Map for AKR Enterprises (Mill Creek)
- against Freshwater Wetland permit for Milton Rosen, Inc. (Oakwood Beach
Wetlands) - against Amendmend of Tidal Wetland Map for Jack Coletta, Inc.
(Mott Basin, Jamaica, Queens) - for Tidal Wetland Permit for Jack Coletta,
Inc. (Mott Basin, Jamaica, Queens) - against Freshwater Wetland Permit
for Donald Biggica (Shore Acres Pond) - against
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dredging and Dredge Spoils Disposal in New York Harbor
New York State Senate Select Committee on Crime, Its Causes, Control and Effect on Society (Toxic Wastes) - Respiratory Cancer and Air Pollution on Staten Island
New York State Assembly Joint Hearing of the Standing Committees of Health and Environmental Conservation (The Need for Community Health Information on Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste) - Respiratory Cancer on S. I., and Assembly Bill # 10937
New York City Department of City Planning - Greenbelt